Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-09-22
A PuERILe EXHIBITION.
An Episode Due Ia DIsIoya1 Talk OF
TatsIe and Foraker.

An Episode Due to .ns DIsloya1 Talk OF
TotsIe and Foraker.
A Wheeling editor, during the recent
meeting of the Grand Army of West
Virginia. flung to the breeze banner
with the pious motto: 'tGod bless our
President, Commander-in-Ch Chief of the
army and the navy"
The loyal if perfervid sentiment, ac-
companied by what passed for a por-
trait of the present Chief Magistrate,
was the signal for rebellion upon the
part of certain Foraker-led members
of the Grand Army who were parading
the streets. To avoid passing under
the Haunting banner they executed n
flank movement, and the better to en-
phasize their dissent from the PROPOSE
ton that the President be blessed they
trailed the colors which they had
sworn by the God of Battles should
never mingle with the dust. Other
marching hosts having, it may be
fancied, different party associations,
pressed straight on, lifting their he'll
NETS in token of loyalty under the
counterfeit, the very poor counterfeit,
no doubt, of the President of the
United States.
The episode is distinctly disgraceful.
yet it would serve little purpose to
waste epithets upon its blameworthy
actors, for manifestly it but anticipates
the inevitable in a Presidential cam
paign precipitated by the particular
politicians who profess themselves
guardians-in-chief of veteran interests.
An organization designed for benefi-
cent ends. social and benevolent. be-
ONES, under the leadership of self
seekers. Il rampant propaganda of par
tisan aims. The better to assure as
tendency over the membership the
directory does not hesitate to appeal to
sordid and degrading passions by
promise of general aid to every soldier
regardless of the length or merit of his
service. Unmindful of the fact that,
rs in duty bound. the President has
given full effect to liberal pension laws,
he is charged by the nanipulators of
the organization as foe to veterans.
Self-respecting members of the Grand
Army of the Republic, whatever their
political utilization, may resent the OBJ
viOus making of the organization a
cat s-paw to rake politicians chest
nuts from the fire. but the fact remains
that as an organization west of the
Ohio the army is in the grip of office
hunters using it for their own ends.
The episode at Wheeling was the out
come of futile preachments, and is
the forerunner of the noisier demon
STATIONS of detestation of the Presi-
dent which will be made a feature of
the campaign next year.
Adler manip ulation of this class-a
mere fragment, by the way, of the
great body of electors. who are in
cined 10 honor the veteran only as he
respects himself-would have maneu-
vered to assign a more respectable
motive for opposition to the President
than his veto of pension measure.
The present management has snc-
ceeded il giving the petulant exhibit
tions of hatred for vetoing Presi-
dent the aspect of malignancy from
baffied mendicants. To this ignoble
pass mischievous political manage
mcnt has led the Grand Army. From
ignominy such as this the organiza-
ton, if it possess the strength it claims,
may find relief by entering politics
with a vengeance. Three years ago
some of its members proposed the
nomination of one of themselves for
the Presidency. The plan was
thwarted. A civilian who, like Cleve-
land, had sent a substitute to the war,
became the nominee of the party with
which the bulk of the Grand Army
membership allies itself If they
would now demonstrate a power to
make and unmake Presidents, to be
masters in politics instead of tools,
they may inspire respect which their
present subserviency to tuppeny
schemers forbids by compelling the
party of their choice to make veteran
its candidate. There would be virile
force i'll such a programme. When
they will have made a candidate of
their own they may have more heart
in assailing Cleveland, and. possibly, a
better method than the impotent and
puerile demonstration at Wheeling.-
Chicago Herald.